Innovative hat prevents driver drowsiness

Katherine Sirois, a 17-year-old student at Durocher College in Saint-Lambert, Quebec, has created a unique hat for drivers that can detect signs of drowsiness behind the wheel, the Journal de Montréal reports.

How exactly does it work? An EEG unit is built in the hat and connected to a micro-computer the size of a credit card to monitor the brain's electrical activity. When it detects alpha waves, which are a sign of imminent sleep, the system sends an auditory signal in a fraction of a second to awaken the driver and refocus their attention to the road, potentially saving their life.

For now, Sirois' invention remains at a development stage, but the young student has already taken steps to create a higher-performing version of the hat which barely cost her $200 to build. She also has plans for mass production.